Torn Between Two Kings
by DamonsDarkness
Summary: After an incident in the woods, Susan finds herself in Prince Caspian’s castle. She knows she can’t fall for the handsome Prince, as there’s already another man… High King Peter. Susan finds herself stuck in the middle of two Kings, rivaling for her love.
1. Incident in the woods

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****Peter is the High King of Narnia, but he and Susan are _NOT_ related in my story. Susan is an ordinary girl who Aslan foresees destined to be ruling alongside the King. Prince Caspian, who will shortly become crowned as King of the Telmarines, has never met Susan before but instantly finds himself attracted to her when they meet in awkward circumstances. Susan finds herself stuck in the middle of two Kings, rivaling for her love…**

**Note:** It's been three months since the battle between the Narnians and Telmarines. High King Peter had come to Caspian's aid and gathered up an army of Narnians to help defeat Caspian's uncle and win back his right to rule the throne. Peter didn't really care about the outcome of whether or not Caspian became King of the Telmarines. He only wanted to prove his worth to Narnia, and remain their trusted King. So to say the least, Caspian and Peter are not friends and hope to never cross paths again.

* * *

**TORN BETWEEN TWO KINGS**

It was a warm sunny afternoon in Narnia, and Prince Caspian was out taking advantage of the lovely weather. He was riding his horse through the woods, enjoying the feeling of the wind whipping across his face and blowing through his hair. He loved to escape the castle whenever he had time off from his busy schedule. In a couple of weeks, he would be officially crowned King and there was a lot to be organised for his coronation ball.

Caspian was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the high pitched scream which sounded nearby. He darted through the trees, arriving at the scene to find a young woman pinned down by a savage grey wolf. It was about to sink its sharp blood thirsty teeth into her, when Caspian quickly jumped off his horse, reached for a dagger from his boot and threw it straight into the wolf's neck. The young woman screamed again as the wolf dropped lifelessly onto her body. Caspian rushed over and lifted the filthy creature off her.

"Good heavens!" He gasped, eyeing the dead animal before him.

He was about to turn back around to face the young woman, when she called out "Freeze!"

Caspian slowly turned his head around and noticed that the young woman was now standing with a bow and arrow aimed directly towards him. He turned his head away from her and raised his arms up, feeling very confused as to why this woman would be trying to kill him after he had just saved her life.

"Look, I am not going to hurt you..."

But she cut him off, yelling out "Get down on the ground, now!"

He immediately obliged to her command, not wishing to have an arrow lodged through his body. Just as he had done so, another wolf had lunged out of the bushes behind him, and the young woman shot the creature straight in the chest, killing it instantly.

Caspian rolled over and sat up in total shock. "You saved my life…" He said, staring in awe at the second deceased wolf.

"Well, you saved mine. So now we're even" She replied.

Caspian finally stood up and turned to have a good look at the young woman standing before him. She was truly beautiful. Her long dark brown hair was tied back into a braid, with a couple of loose strands flowing down against her neck. Her bright blue eyes stared back at him inquisitively, and her lips looked so delicate, moving in such a lovely way. Hold on, she's talking... Caspian snapped back to reality.

"Hello… Did you hear me? I said I really must be going now". She said in a beautiful sweet voice as she brushed leaves from her dark blue dress and picked up a brown bag from the ground.

"No wait, please. What is your name?" Caspian asked in an attempt to get her to stay.

"Susan" She stated, placing the bag over her shoulder.

"I am Caspian"

Her eyes suddenly grew wide and she covered her small creamy coloured hand over her mouth in shock.

"You're Prince Caspian?" She gasped.

He nodded and smiled at seeing the surprised look on her face.

"I'm so sorry" She said, holding her dress and curtsying. "I didn't recognise you… Well to tell you the truth I've never actually seen you in person. I mean, I've heard about what you look like from other people but I never imagined you to look so…" She trailed off, searching for words, while looking a little embarrassed.

Caspian raised an eyebrow and grinned, prompting her to finish the sentence. As she thought for a minute about which appropriate word to use to describe him, he couldn't help but admire her beautiful facial features.

"…Strong and… healthy" She finished, immediately covering her face with both hands and bursting out in laughter. She would have loved to have admitted that she thought he was absolutely gorgeous and handsome… but that wouldn't really be the right thing to say to the Prince. So instead 'Strong and healthy' came out? Well done Susan, she thought to herself.

When she lowered her hands from her face and stopped laughing, she realized that Caspian was just staring at her with a beautiful smile, seeming oblivious to what she had just said.

"So, where were you headed?" He asked after a moment of silence.

"Oh, I was just out for a walk. Enjoying this beautiful weather… Well that was until I was attacked. I didn't have enough time to reach for an arrow"

"But how did you know there was another one behind me?"

She pushed a few strands of hair away from her face and smiled. "I caught a glimpse of it creeping up while you were busy moving the other one. You're lucky I had my bow with me"

"Your aim and precision was perfect by the way. Whoever taught you must be an expert" Caspian smiled, noticing her cheeks turn a soft pinkish colour. It was then when he noticed blood seeping though the sleeve of her dress.

"You're bleeding" He stated rather concerned, as he walked over to her.

"Huh?" She replied looking down over her body and realizing all of a sudden that her arm actually hurt. "Oh my… I didn't even notice"

"May I take a look?" He asked, pulling a dagger from his boot. Her eyes grew wide in complete horror. "I need to cut the material… I hope you don't mind me ruining your dress"

"That's alright. It's an old dress anyway" Susan held out her arm for him.

He carefully cut the material away from her upper arm and examined it. Caspian winced at the sight of three claw marks, which were drawing blood. "You're going to need to see a healer…"

"I'll just go home and bandage it. I'll be fine" She assured him, taking her arm out of his grasp.

He looked at her for a moment, studying her sparking blue eyes. "Where are you from? I'll take you there on my horse"

"I appreciate your gesture but I'm sure I can make it back on my own"

Caspian reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean white handkerchief. "Ok. But please let me wrap this around your arm to stop the bleeding"

She nodded and took a step closer to him. Caspian gently wrapped the handkerchief around her arm and tied it into a knot. All of a sudden Susan lost her balance, and Caspian quickly reached out and grabbed her around the waist.

"Ooh dear... I feel a little lightheaded" She said, holding a hand up to her forehead.

"You're loosing quite a bit of blood" He stated quickly, sounding rather frightened. "Please let me take you back to my castle; you need to see a healer right away"

Susan nodded, starting to fall out of consciousness.

"Susan?" Caspian felt her giving way under his grip and held on tighter. She muttered something incoherent and then fell totally limp in his arms. "Susan!" He frantically lifted her onto the horse, positioned her in front of him so she was safe, held on and quickly galloped off towards the castle.


	2. High King Peter?

When Susan slowly opened her eyes, she wasn't quite sure where she was. She looked around, realising that she was in a large bedroom, lying on a comfortable king size bed. The room was nicely decorated with bright coloured landscape paintings on the walls and some rather expensive looking ornaments were placed around the room. She rolled over and cried out in pain, forgetting about her sore arm. At that moment, a female centaur entered the room and rushed over to her side.

"Hi, I'm Trixan. How are you feeling miss? I've properly taken care of your wounds by applying healing leaves and bandaged your arm so it won't get infected. But it may be sore for a while"

"Thank you" Susan replied sinking her head into the pillow, feeling a little dizzy and disorientated. "Where am I?"

Before the centaur got the chance to reply, Susan heard someone else enter the room and politely asked Trixan to leave.

"Hello, I hope you're feeling a little better" A masculine voice spoke, sounding rather close to the end of the bed.

Susan kept her tired eyes closed and without thinking, questioned "Peter, is that you?"

There was a moment of awkward silence. "Um, no. I'm Caspian…"

Susan quickly sat up and even though she was still clothed in her dress, she pulled the blanket close to her chest. "Oh, hello…" She said feeling a little awkward as she recognised the handsome Telmarine Prince.

"I hope you don't mind me bringing you here, it's just… you fell unconscious so I had to get you immediate help"

Susan glanced around the room again, and stopped when her eyes met his. "No that's alright, I appreciated it. Thank you very much for looking after me"

"It's my pleasure… Even though it was Trixan who actually took care of your wounds" He smiled, making him look all the more gorgeous.

Susan had to look away from him. This Prince was one of the most handsome men she had ever laid eyes on. Susan closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to get those thoughts out of her head. She shouldn't be thinking these thoughts, there's already somebody else...

"Is something wrong?" He asked, noticing the distressed look on her face.

She met his worried gaze once more, and then averted her eyes to one of the glass ornaments in the corner of the room.

"I'd better let people know where I am… They're going to start to worry about me"

"Of course. Tell me the location of where you're from, and I shall send one of my guards over there to inform them of your whereabouts"

"Um, I'm from Cair Paravel" She said quietly.

Caspian nodded slowly, his stomach starting to churn up inside. She's from Cair Paravel?

"Ok… and who am I to send word for?"

"High King Peter" She answered plainly, avoiding his gaze.

Caspian was silent for a moment; a thousand thoughts were running through his head. She knows Peter? He managed to push the thoughts aside and clear his throat "Oh, _him_…" He muttered unenthusiastically.

Susan furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him. "I'm sorry. Do you have something against him?"

"You could say that we have a bit of a rivalry issue going on, yes"

"Hmm yes, I've heard stories…" She replied, remembering back to the time Peter had told her briefly about the battle in which Caspian and Peter had fought alongside each other.

Caspian raised an eyebrow and said rather sarcastically. "Is that so? I'm sure they weren't _exaggerated_ or anything"

"He helped you regain your throne…"

"Yes, but he always thought he was the better man! He made that loud and clear. He wasn't fighting to help me and my people; he was fighting to prove his worth to the Narnians"

Susan eyed him, watching as he ran his fingers along his jaw line in what seemed to be frustration.

"Maybe you're jealous…" She said quietly, but it didn't go unheard by Caspian.

"I beg your pardon!" He replied, trying not to raise his voice to a woman.

"Both of you, I mean" She corrected, not wanting to upset him. "… Jealous of each other"

Caspian scoffed. "Hardly!"

"Then why all the hard feelings?" She asked, all of a sudden shivering under the blanket.

Caspian noticed her shivering and asked "Are you cold? I can get you another blanket?"

"No thanks… I actually feel hot" She murmured, starting to feel her body heat up.

"You might have a fever. May I feel your temperature?" He asked, taking a few steps around the side of the bed.

She stared up at him blankly for a moment before nodding. Caspian reached down and placed the back of his hand against her forehead.

"You're very hot!" He said a little too loud, just as Trixan had re-entered the room with a glass of water.

The centaur coughed, causing Caspian to remove his hand and turn toward the sound.

"Um, she's coming down with a fever. Could you look after her please?" He said a little unevenly before leaving the room in a hurry.

"What was all that about?" Trixan asked, handing Susan the glass of water.

Susan shrugged in response and took a sip of water, trying to get rid of the butterflies in her stomach. Why was she feeling this way about someone she had only just met?

Meanwhile, Caspian walked down the hallway, frustratingly running his hands through his thick dark hair and made his way down the winding staircase.

"Trumpkin!" He called out, seeing the dwarf rummaging around in the kitchen.

The little man stopped and turned to face the Prince "Yes your majesty?"

"We have a bit of a problem…"

"Um, if it has to do with the short supply of wine, then don't worry I'm on it! I know that your coronation is within two weeks but-"

"Trumpkin, it has nothing to do with the wine" Caspian interrupted hastily.

"Then what is wrong, you majesty?" Trumpkin asked, creasing his forehead.

"High King Peter will be arriving within the hour"

"What? Why? I thought you two had vowed to stay out of each others lives…"

"Yes, well that was until I found _his_ girl out in the woods and brought her to the castle!"

"She belongs to Peter? Oh dear, well you didn't know that. And besides she fell unconscious what were you supposed to do? You couldn't leave her out there"

Caspian sighed deeply. "Send someone to bring him here immediately… She wants _him_"


	3. This is my castle!

Roughly an hour had passed when Caspian finally heard the sound of horse hooves approaching the main gates. He headed down to the door and opened it, heaving a sigh at the sight of the High King.

"_Prince_ Caspian" Peter growled through gritted teeth, jumping off his horse.

"I'm soon to be _King_!" Caspian reminded him, narrowing his eyes and clenching his jaw.

"Well until then, you're still ranked below me. Now where is she?" Peter demanded, brushing past Caspian and entering the large Telmarine castle.

"You have _no_ right to speak to me like that!" Caspian spun around and grabbed Peter by the collar of his shirt. "This is _my_ castle and if you intend on entering, I suggest you shut your mouth or leave!"

"Trust me if it wasn't for Susan, I wouldn't have even come near this piece of -"

"High King Peter!" Trumpkin quickly interrupted, trying to stop a fight from breaking out. "It's good to see you again" He lied.

Caspian let Peter go with a forceful shove, causing him to stumble a little before he gained his balance. Before Peter got the chance to retaliate, Trumpkin offered to take him to see Susan. "She's resting upstairs in the guest room. Follow me"

Peter nodded and followed the small man up the staircase in silence. Caspian followed a short distance behind. He wasn't going to leave Peter alone in the castle… Or was it that he just didn't want him to be alone with Susan…

"Susan!" Peter called out as he walked over to her bed and sat down rather heavily on the edge, causing her to bounce a little.

She sat up slowly, holding a hand to her head. "Hi" She muttered weakly.

"What did you think you were doing? You could have been killed out there" Peter said in a harsh but worried tone.

"I… I'm sorry, it all happened so quickly. But if Caspian hadn't shown up when he did…" At the mention of his name, Caspian stepped into the room causing Susan to trail off into silence.

Peter ignored Caspian's presence and continued to hound her. "I thought you were capable of taking care of yourself! I thought you could use that bow!" He raised his voice a little louder than he intended.

"She's got a fever, don't yell at her like that" Caspian said, staring at Peter.

Peter turned and gave him an icy glare in return. "I suppose you thought you were great eh? Saving a damsel in distress"

"She saved me in return. If it weren't for her expertise in archery, I would have been attacked by that second wolf" Caspian turned at that moment and smiled over at Susan, who blushed and looked down pretending to be occupied by picking fluff off the blanket.

"Whatever. Do you mind if you give us some time alone?" Peter asked.

Caspian looked at Susan who nodded her head, indicating that she'd be alright.

"Certainly" He replied, turning to leave the room.

* * *

The sun had set a few hours ago and it was now too late for Peter to take Susan home, especially seeing as though she still wasn't feeling well. Caspian had organised with his number one chef to cook them up some dinner. He noticed Trixan carrying the tray up the main staircase and offered to take it up to them himself.

As he approached the door to their guest room, he heard them talking rather loudly. Caspian was never one to eavesdrop, but he couldn't find it within him to turn around; especially as their conversation sounded quite heated…

"From now on you are _never_ to leave Cair Paravel without me by your side! Do you understand?"

"You have no such right! You can't confine me behind those stone walls forever -"

"I can, and I will! You are mine to protect, Susan"

Their voices dropped after that, and Caspian could no longer make out the muffled words from behind the door. He took a step closer to the door and decided to knock.

"What do you want?" Peter demanded, his voice sounding quite agitated.

"I thought you two might be hungry, so I have brought up some dinner" Caspian replied, now coming face to face with Peter as he had opened the door.

"Better be something half decent" Peter rudely spat, taking the tray from his hands.

Caspian ignored him and looked past Peter's right shoulder, seeing Susan hide her face from his view. Was she crying? He wondered.

"Is that all?" Peter asked impatiently.

"The room next door will be yours for the night" Caspian said, turning his gaze back to Peter.

"I'm planning on staying here with Susan" Peter said, trying to challenge Caspian's authority.

"No, you're not" Caspian emphasized every word, trying to remain calm. "You _will _sleep in a separate room, and I shall send someone around later to make sure that you do"

Peter just rolled his eyes in response and closed the door, leaving Caspian standing out in the hallway.

* * *

Downstairs, Caspian was seated at the head of a large dining table, accompanied with his ten council members. He really didn't feel like eating tonight, and definitely wasn't in the mood to discuss his coronation ball. He could hear the men around him talking about what sort of food was to be served, what kind of decorations, music… Caspian wasn't listening though; he was concerned about her…

"Your majesty?" One of the council members named Gerald, snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hmm, sorry what were you saying?" Caspian asked, noticing all eyes were on him.

"With all due respect, I fail to see what could be more important than you being crowned as King" Gerald sighed.

"I know, and I apologise for my behaviour…" Caspian said, fiddling with a napkin.

Another council member leaned forward in his seat and cleared his throat. "Your majesty… She's very beautiful indeed, but there are plenty of other available ones out there"

"I beg your pardon?" Caspian asked incredulously, not believing what he had just heard.

Gerald tried to extend on what the other man had said. "We've got plenty of soldiers that have beautiful daughters. Perhaps I could arrange for you to meet with some of them?"

Caspian gave Gerald a disgusted look. "I think I'm going to get some fresh air. Excuse me" And with that, he stood up and exited the dining room.

Once out on the grand balcony which overlooked a lovely picturesque landscape, he sighed and leaned against the grey stone ledge. He let his eyes roam aimlessly over the land, and then tilted his head up towards the night sky, gazing at the bright stars. A light cool breeze ran through his hair, sending a slight chill through his entire body. He didn't know how long he had been standing out there; caught up in his thoughts but suddenly an angelic voice brought him back to reality.

"Oh, this view is beautiful" Susan smiled, looking out to the horizon.

He jumped slightly, not expecting to see her out of her room and standing beside him. A soft laughter escaped her mouth. She turned to face him now, looking vibrant as her hair blew gently in the breeze.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" She laughed once more.

Caspian couldn't help but laugh along with her, the sound was intoxicating.

"That's alright. I was so deep in thought that I didn't hear you approach" He cleared his throat and added "So how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you… my fever has dropped as well. Trixan came by and checked me over. She gave me the all clear and advised me to walk around and stretch my legs"

"She should have escorted you incase you felt dizzy"

"Oh, no I feel fine..." She said, turning to look out over the land once more. "That was kind of you to bring us dinner. It was lovely, thank you"

"You're welcome" He replied, watching as her finger traced random circles on the stone ledge which she was leaning on.

She was still wearing her blue dress, which looked a little creased from her resting in it.

"There's a wardrobe in your room filled with assorted dresses and other garments… Please feel free to borrow anything you like"

"I appreciate it but Peter and I will be leaving first thing tomorrow, so I don't think it will be necessary"

Caspian's stomach felt like it was tying into knots. She was leaving tomorrow… with _Peter_. They stood in silence for a moment, just listening to the sound of the breeze which was starting to pick up.

"You can see the stars so clear from here…" She said, tilting her head up and admiring their beauty.

Caspian couldn't help but look at her. He gazed out at the stars every night from this balcony, but this was the first time he actually had something more beautiful to look at. "I'm sure the view from Cair Paravel is nice though. You can see the ocean, correct?"

She continued to look upwards, scanning the sky. "True. The ocean is lovely, but I hardly get to see the stars. Normally the clouds roll in at night and they cover them up"

"That's a shame..." He said, thinking for a moment before adding "You know you're more than welcome to come and visit anytime... To see the stars, I mean"

Susan finally made eye contact with him. If she wasn't holding onto the ledge, she could have sworn she would have fallen. Caspian looked stunning in the soft light given off from the stars. His dark eyes stared back into hers, almost as if pleading for her to move closer…

Susan was about to say something, when the sound of footsteps caused them both to turn their heads. Peter stood with his arms folded across his chest, looking quite unimpressed.

* * *

**I hope you're all enjoying my story so far. Thank you to the few people who have posted messages :) I'd like a little more feedback though, please. **


	4. Why do we keep arguing?

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Peter asked a little rudely, while walking over to Susan and wrapping his coat around her body.

"I just wanted to get some fresh air, Peter" Susan said, rolling her eyes wishing he would stop acting so possessive of her all the time.

"And you decided to join her, eh?" Peter asked, poking his index finger firmly into Caspian's chest.

"Peter, don't! He was out here before me" Susan protested, grabbing onto Peter's arm and moving it away from Caspian.

"You should have told me you were going for a walk. I was looking all over for you" Peter said, turning his attention to Susan.

Caspian couldn't hold back a smirk which had formed on his lips. "Perhaps she finds my company more enjoyable than your own"

Peter immediately turned around and lunged forward in rage, reaching for Caspian's throat. But the Prince was quick to react, grabbing one of his arms and twisting Peter into a locked position.

"Don't forget you are in my castle! I can have you kicked out within seconds!" He said in a deep and threatening voice, letting him go with a shove.

Peter rubbed his arm, clenching his jaw "Yeah, well don't forget this is my _girl_!" He replied in a similar threatening tone, pulling Susan by his side.

Caspian looked at Susan, who seemed terrified with what had just happened. Before he could say anything, Peter had turned his back and blocked his view of her.

"It's freezing out here. Let me take you back to your room"

Susan obliged without saying anything and accepted Peter's hand. Caspian watched as they walked off, an icy warning glance from Peter didn't go unnoticed.

Trumpkin was waiting for Caspian as he returned from the balcony.

"Excuse me your majesty, but may I have a word with you?"

"I'm not in the mood right now"

Trumpkin ignored him and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, pulling him down into a crouching position "What on earth are you doing?" Caspian demanded, now eye level with the little man.

Trumpkin released a low groan and narrowed his eyes at the Prince. "You shouldn't be messing around with her. You're only going to cause trouble!"

"I'm not messing around with her!" Caspian protested, trying to keep his voice low but firm. "She was the one who approached me! And besides, we were only talking… Is that a crime?"

"Well it seemed to be from Peter's point of view"

"I don't care what he thinks!"

There was a short pause between the two.

"They will be leaving tomorrow, and you'll never see her again" Trumpkin said, trying to knock some sense into the Prince.

"I realise that!" Caspian snapped, starting to get very annoyed.

"Then stop worrying about her. She's not yours to be concerned about. Besides, you should be paying more attention to your coronation"

"So everyone keeps telling me…" Caspian said, releasing himself from Trumpkin's firm grip. "… Leave me alone. I'll be in my room"

And with that, he turned and stormed off towards his chambers.

Back up in Susan's room, another argument was going on between herself and Peter.

"Go on, admit it. You fancy him don't you?" Peter mumbled as he paced back and forth in front of Susan who was standing there feeling exhausted from all the arguing.

"Don't be stupid, I hardly know him!" Susan protested with her hands on her hips.

"Then why don't you ever look at me like that?"

"I… I don't know what you mean" She replied, taking her eyes of him she began to fiddle with the ends of her long hair.

Peter exhaled deeply but decided to speak in a calm and quite voice. "Susan, we've been together everyday for like what? Two months?"

"One and a half" She corrected.

"And within that time have you ever really shown me affection?"

"That's not fair! You hardly allocate time to be with me. You're always busy having meetings and discussing the laws of Narnia"

"I'm the High King, Susan! That's what I am damn well supposed to be doing!"

She sighed and walked over to look out the window, which was pointless because it was now pitch black outside.

"Well it's hard to show affection when you're yelling at me all the time"

Both of them remained silent for a moment, and when Susan turned around, Peter was now slowly advancing towards her.

"You're right. I'm sorry" He said quietly, backing her up against the cold window pain.

Susan turned her head and concentrated on the carpet as he placed his hands either side of the window, pinning her in between it and himself. "Susan, please look at me" He breathed against her neck.

Susan felt really uncomfortable being in this position, and tried to wriggle free, but the brushing against Peter's body was making matters worse. He gently took hold of her head and forced her to kiss him, crushing his lips upon hers. She had no choice but to return the kiss, he was too strong to push away. Peter's hands started to wrap around her back, bringer her off the window and into his body. It wasn't until his hands started to roam further down her back, that she came to her senses and ended the kiss, pushing his head away.

"That's enough" She whispered, looking into his eyes which were filled strongly with lust. Susan could tell that her lips were slightly swollen, they felt numb.

"I need to get some rest"

"Let me join you!" Peter demanded, stepping in for another kiss. She managed to turn her head in time for him to miss her lips and press against her cheek instead.

"Peter, I don't think that's a good idea…" She said, pushing her hands against his chest to create some space between them.

"Why not? You're my girlfriend, why can't we sleep in the same bed?"

Susan was mortified and didn't know what to say. But lucky just at that moment there came knock at the door and Trixan asked if she could enter. Susan sighed in relief and stepped past Peter, calling her in.

"I was just making sure that you're settled for the night" Trixan said, before turning to face Peter. "I think it's time you left".

Peter muttered something incoherent and left without arguing for once.

"Now let's get you changed into something more comfortable for sleeping in" Trixan said, while opening up the wardrobe and pulling out a simple white cotton dress and an emerald green satin dressing gown.

"Thank you" Susan said gratefully picking up the garments and heading behind a large screen to change.

"Goodnight dear. I'll see you in the morning"

"Goodnight Trixan, thanks for everything"

After Trixan had left, Susan got into bed and flopped down. Thank goodness Trixan had knocked on the door when she did. Peter can get quite intimidating when he's desperate for something, and she wasn't sure how she would've convinced him to leave if it wasn't for the interruption. She rolled over so she was now facing the window and looked out to see that the stars were still shining bright. Then the thought of Caspian suddenly drifted into her head. She didn't want to admit it, but she had really enjoyed being out there on the balcony with him. Why couldn't Peter be a little more like him…

A lonely tear rolled down her check as she whispered. "Why Aslan? Why does it have to be this way?"


	5. A stormy night

A loud violent clap of thunder startled Susan, waking her up from her sleep. Bright flashes of lightning flickered through the curtains, and the sound of heavy rain pelted against the stone walls of the castle. She pulled a pillow over her head in the hope that it would drown out the noise… But it didn't work.

After an hour of tossing and turning in bed, Susan just couldn't fall asleep, and the storm didn't sound like it was easing anytime soon. Stepping out of the large bed, she adjusted her dressing gown and decided to go for a walk around the castle. There were many long, dark corridors and without wanting to get lost, she decided to stay in the main hallway. Suddenly, she noticed a soft glowing light seeping through a half opened door. Feeling curious, she decided to walk over and peer inside.

Bookcases were lined up all around the walls of the room. Some were so tall you needed a ladder to reach the top shelf. No one was in there, so she walked inside and wandered around, browsing through the books. A large stoned fireplace had been lit, and was warming up the room. She carefully took a book off the shelf and made her way over to a couch which was positioned in front of the fire.

Meanwhile Caspian, who also couldn't sleep, approached the same room completely unaware that it was occupied. He was carrying a plate full of chocolate biscuits and a full glass of milk. As he took a bite from one of the biscuits, he looked up, stopping abruptly in his tracks when he noticed Susan sitting on the couch. He swallowed quickly, causing the biscuit to go down the wrong way.

Hearing the sound of someone choking, Susan immediately looked up over the top of the couch.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?" She called out, jumping to her feet and rushing over to help.

While coughing, Caspian held out the plate. Once she took it from his grasp, he started thumping his chest in hope that the food would dislodge. Then took a large gulp of milk from the glass he was holding in his other hand. Susan watched on in silence until he finally recovered, clearing his throat one last time. He exhaled deeply and then laughed awkwardly when he saw the serious expression upon Susan's face.

She lightened up, laughing a little as she glanced down at the plate full of biscuits. "_Whoa_, that was quite an entrance there Caspian"

"Sorry about that… I wasn't expecting anyone to be in here. You surprised me!" Caspian admitted as he walked past her, placing the glass on a small table beside the couch. Susan turned and watched him as he bent down in front of the fire place to warm his hands.

"And the sight of _me_ just took your breath away, didn't it!" She said jokingly, taking a seat on one end of the couch.

Caspian didn't really respond. Keeping his back to her, he picked up a small log and threw it into the fire, watching it crackle and begin to burn. Susan suddenly felt like she wanted to fall into a black hole and disappear. How embarrassing she thought to herself, wondering why on earth she had decided to say that. Realising that she still had the plate of biscuits in her hands, she placed them next to her on the couch.

"Um, I was joking you know…" She informed him, jumping a little when a loud clap of thunder followed her words.

Caspian had looked over his shoulder just in time to see her startled by the noise. "It doesn't sound good, does it?"

Susan avoided his gaze as he stood up ran a hand through his long hair, pushing it away from his face.

"Forgive me. I shouldn't have said it like that… Actually, I shouldn't have said it at _all_"

"Susan, I was talking about the storm. I meant that the weather doesn't sound too good out there" He elaborated, chuckling as he watched her reaction when she brought her hands up to cover her face.

She sighed and placed her hands back in her lap, noticing that he was now seated beside her. The couch was long enough to fit three people, so there was a reasonable gap between them.

"I come in here to read when I can't fall asleep. Whether its history books or a fiction novel, it's quite relaxing" He said, comfortably leaning back and gazing into the fire.

"Yeah, I couldn't get to sleep either" Susan confessed. "It's amazing how many books you have in here… Um, I hope you didn't mind me wandering around" She said, looking over and taking in his attire. He was wearing a long sleeved white shirt and casual black pants. As his eyes weren't looking in her direction, Susan couldn't help but steal a peek where a couple of buttons were undone at the top of his shirt, revealing a little of his tanned neckline and chest.

"No, I don't mind at all"

The sound of his voice snapped Susan out of her trance, causing her to focus on his face instead. Luckily he turned to look at her after she had averted her gaze from his chest. He then noticed the plate of biscuits and instantly reached for one.

"It's a little late to be eating isn't it?" Susan asked, feeling her stomach churn at the thought of consuming food at this hour.

Caspian shrugged and gave her a smile. "I'm hungry, and they taste great… Would you like some?"

"No thanks, I wouldn't want to _choke_ or anything"

"Ha, ha. Real funny" He rolled his eyes sarcastically.

Susan giggled softly and glanced aimlessly around the room until her eyes caught sight of a painting on the wall. "Awe, is that little Prince Caspian?" She asked, pointing towards the image of a young boy holding a sword which was taller than he was.

Caspian laughed, seeming a little embarrassed by the image. "Yeah, I would have been around seven years old, I think… My father started training me how to handle a sword so I could defend myself"

"_Seriously?_ Was that necessary? Who's going to harm a seven year old kid?" Susan asked incredulously.

"You never know… Even at seven, I was still the future King. Look how my uncle's greed took over him - he almost killed me!"

Susan looked away from him. "Sorry…"

"It's ok" He reassured her, reaching over for another biscuit. "I really should have picked up on his intentions earlier… I remember when I was eighteen; my uncle Miraz challenged me to a friendly duel. Well I thought it was just a bit of fun, until he 'accidentally' misjudged one of his swings, resulting in the blade cutting me here…" He said, looking down at the left side of his stomach and running a finger along the material of his shirt.

"_Ouch_! Did it leave a scar?" Susan asked rather curiously.

Without a second thought he nodded and lifted his shirt up above his belly button, revealing not only a two inch scar, but an awesome set of abs!

"Wow, that's _amazing_!" She exclaimed, not quite knowing herself if she meant the scar… or his body.

"Hmm. I'm not proud of having something to remember him by though" He said, pulling his shirt back down. He finished the last biscuit and moved the empty plate onto the table beside him and picked up the glass of milk. "But enough talk about me, what about you?"

"What about me?" She asked, still trying to get the image of his abs out of her mind.

Caspian couldn't help but smirk. Susan looked gorgeous when she was confused.

"I don't know… I want to know a little more about you" He said, drinking the remainder of milk until the glass was empty.

As he lowered the glass from his lips, Susan burst out laughing at the sight before her.

Caspian raised his eyebrows in surprise at her outburst of laughter. "Have I said something that amuses you?"

"I sorry…" She said, calming herself down and taking a deep breath. "You have -" Susan couldn't continue, she burst out laughing again.

"I have _what_?" He asked, smiling at the way she covered her mouth with her hand.

While trying hard to not laugh, Susan pointed to her upper lip. "You've got a _milk mustache_!"

"Oh…" He wiped the back of his hand across his upper lip, getting rid of the milk. "Is it gone now?"

"Nope. There's still a little bit beside your nose" She giggled, placing her finger on her own face to show him where it was.

He tried to wipe where she was showing him, but he kept missing it. Noticing that he was getting slightly frustrated, Susan moved over on the couch so that she was now right beside him. She gently took hold of his hand and wiped the milk off using his index finger.

"There you go" Susan's smile slowly faded as her face suddenly became rather serious as they locked eyes with one another.

"Thanks" He replied in merely a whisper.

She looked over into the fire and gave a shy smile, brushing some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Caspian studied her face. Her porcelain coloured skin looked so soft, and at that moment he wished he could have reached out and touched her cheek. Some of her long, wavy dark hair fell beautifully over her shoulder, and the emerald green dressing gown hugged her body nicely. Caspian closed his eyes and gently breathed in her scent… It was intoxicating.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked her, before swallowing a dry lump in his throat.

Susan continued to stare into the flames, which seemed to be hypnotizing her. "Sure" She whispered.

"I know it's not really any of my business, but… are you _happy_ being with Peter?"

"Excuse me?" Susan almost choked on her words, wondering if she had heard him correctly.

Caspian felt his heart ache as Susan back away from him on the couch. "I can't help but notice that he hardly treats you with any love or respect"

Susan let a dry, awkward laugh escape her lips. "Well you're right about what you said before – It's _not_ any of your business!"

He ignored her and continued. "But I just can't understand why you would want to be with someone like _him_?"

Susan narrowed her eyes at him. Who does he think he is?

"Deal with it, Caspian. I'm destined to be with him alright. That's just the way it is"

Caspian blinked a couple of times in disbelief. "You're destined… What do you mean? Are you saying you're _forced _to be with him?"

"Why are you sticking your nose into my personal life? You barely know me!" Susan said, raising her voice and folding her arms.

"I know well enough that if you don't love someone, you shouldn't be forced to be with them"

Susan turned on the couch so that she was directly facing him. "You don't even have a woman, what do you know about love anyway?" And with that she stood up, about to leave.

Caspian quickly stood up as well and blocked her way.

"If I had a woman…" He stopped mid sentence, realising how close they were standing to one another. Caspian's hand reached out and gently brushed a curl away from her cheek. "…I would show her my affection"

"_Please_ don't touch me" Susan whispered, slightly taking a step back from him.

He dropped his hand and sighed. "I'm sorry…"

Before he had the chance to say anything else, Susan had walked around the other side of the couch and headed for the door.

"Goodnight" He murmured before she closed the door, leaving him alone and feeling incredibly stupid.


	6. The blonde visitor

Morning had finally arrived. Susan rolled over onto her stomach and sunk her head back into the soft pillow. The sound of heavy wind and rain was so extreme, it sounded like it was a hurricane outside. But what she couldn't get out of her head was the conversation with Caspian last night. He had no right to talk to her like that! It was none of his business who she was with, so why would he be so concerned about it? Susan clenched her fists in frustration. She should have slapped him across the face! But suddenly the image of his handsome face appeared in her mind… No, there's no way she could have slapped him. There was a knock at the door, which quickly woke Susan out of her thoughts.

"Who is it?" She called, her voice sounding husky from just waking up.

"It's only me, Trixan"

"Come in"

Trixan walked in and closed the door behind her. "The weather this morning is terrible" She said, pulling back the curtains.

Susan groaned and managed to sit up in bed. "Well I hope it dies down soon. It's not going to be pleasant traveling horseback out in that"

"I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere today. Unfortunately this storm looks like its set in. And besides, we've heard word that the lake has flooded most of the path you will need to travel on"

Susan sighed heavily and flopped lifelessly back onto the bed.

"Come on dear, being here isn't all that bad is it?"

"No… It's just made my life so much more _difficult_" Susan mumbled in a low voice.

"I didn't catch a word of that" Trixan laughed. "Now, let's get you out of bed and dressed for breakfast" The centaur opened up a large wardrobe which was full of a variety of different coloured dresses. She pulled out a lovely purple one and laid it on the bed in front of Susan.

"It's beautiful…" Susan smiled as she reached out and touched the soft fabric. "But I can't wear this"

"Nonsense. I've sent your dress down to the laundry to be washed and have the sleeve mended. So you'll have to wear this"

Trixan left the room to give Susan some privacy so she could clean herself up and get changed. Once she was dressed, Susan stood in front of the full length mirror and brushed her hair straight, deciding not to tie it up. She smoothed out her dress which she had to admit, flattered her figure, and turned to exit the room. Just as she opened the door, Peter was already standing there, with his hand up ready to knock.

"Oh, good morning. Ready for breakfast?" He asked as his eyes glanced longingly over her body.

Susan nodded in reply, feeling a little uneasy with him looking at her like that.

"Or maybe... we could go back into the bedroom?" Peter suggestively raised an eyebrow.

She looked up at him, mortified. "Um… I think we should head downstairs and get something to eat"

His cheeky grin faded after hearing her response, but he agreed that he was also feeling hungry. They made their way to the top of the staircase and started to descend, neither of them saying a word as they walked side by side. A small group of people were gathered around the dining table as a selection of food was being served before them. Susan noticed they were all council members, except Prince Caspian, who was deep in conversation with the man seated closest to him.

Trumpkin noticed the two standing at the doorway. "Ah! High King Peter, Susan, please take a seat" He said, causing the room to fall in complete silence as everyone turned to look at them.

Peter took a seat at the far end of the table, almost as if challenging Caspian, who was at the head of the table. Susan took the closest seat to Peter, avoiding the stares that they were receiving. Peter got a little annoyed with the attention and picked up his plate. "Right, so we just help ourselves?"

* * *

After breakfast, Caspian told Peter and Susan that until the storm dies down they were welcome to remain inside the castle. Peter wasn't pleased with having to stay any longer, and announced that he was going down to the stables to check on his horse. Caspian caught Susan walking alone through the main foyer and decided that he need to clear things up with her.

"Susan, may I have a word with you?"

"It depends on what you're going to say…" She said while continuing to walk straight ahead.

"You look beautiful in that dress. It suites you" He said, giving her a warm smile.

Susan kept walking but looked down so that he couldn't see her cheeks grow pink. "Flattery won't make me forgive you, Caspian..."

"I know it's not enough, so please listen to me for a moment" He pleaded, gently taking hold of her arm to stop her from walking. "I really want to apologise for what was said last night… After you left the room, I felt absolutely terrible. I don't know what had come over me. It's your life, and your decision to be with Peter, and if that makes you happy… then who am I to judge you? Susan, can you forgive me?"

Susan, who had been focussing on the swirly patterns on his shirt, slowly let her eyes slowly rise up to meet his. He seemed to look desperate for her forgiveness.

"Yes... I suppose so" She answered in a gentle tone.

A wide grin emerged on Caspian's face, but before he had the chance to say anything, Susan noticed one of the council members, Gerald, approaching with a young blonde haired woman by his side.

"Looks like you've got a visitor" Susan said, glancing over his shoulder. "I'd better be going anyway"

"Susan, wait a minute –" He pleaded, watching her turn around to leave.

"I'll see you later" She called out as she walked off through the foyer.

It wasn't until Gerald cleared his throat rather loudly, that Caspian tore his eyes from where Susan had just exited.

"You're majesty, there's someone here I'd like you to meet" He smiled eagerly as he continued to introduce the young woman. "This is Lilly; she's the daughter of Ramandu"

Caspian's face was expressionless as he looked at the girl before him.

"Hello, Prince Caspian. It's a pleasure to meet you" The young woman curtsied and giggled in a flirtatious manner.

"It's nice to meet you too… Lilly was it?" He asked, already forgetting her name. She nodded politely and smiled brightly up at him.

"I wasn't aware that Ramandu had a daughter" Caspian added, moving his gaze onto Gerald.

"Why of course he does…" Gerald looked rather uncomfortable as he tried to think of something more to add. "How about I leave you two so you can become more acquainted"

"Yes, there's _so_ much I want to know about the new King to be" Lilly said, watching as Gerald left the room. Once they were alone she took a step closer to Caspian, and a sneaky grin appeared on her face. "I was told that you've been feeling a little down lately. That you lack… _female_ company"

Caspian raised an eyebrow in surprise and took a step backwards as Lilly slowly advanced.

"Look, Lilly. I'm afraid to inform you that there's been a misunderstanding…"

"About what? You don't like me?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"No, that's not what I meant. I'm sure you're a lovely girl, but -"

"Then why don't you get to know me a little better" She interrupted, speaking rather seductively as she reached out and ran a hand down his arm.

Caspian felt uncomfortable about the whole situation, and was thinking of a way to politely excuse himself, when he noticed Trumpkin out in the corridor.

"Ah, Trumpkin! There are some important matters I must urgently discuss with you"

"Is it about the coronation?" Trumpkin asked, walking into the foyer.

"Yes!" Caspian answered a little too quickly and enthusiastically.

Lilly pouted and crossed her arms in annoyance. "You are _unbelievable_!"

Both men grew silent and turned to face her with questionable looks upon their faces.

"I don't know why I'm _wasting_ my time" She said rudely, before storming away in disgust.

Trumpkin looked up at the Prince with a dumbfounded expression. "Who was that?"

Caspian sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his thick brown hair. "Ramandu's daughter"

The small man nodded with sudden recognition "I've heard rumours she's a feisty one…"

"Gerald is going to pay for this!" Caspian said through narrow eyes.

"Hmm. Now what I'm dying to know is, are we really going to run through your coronation plans or not?" Trumpkin asked.

Caspian looked down at him frowned. "Not right now… Some other time" And with that, he exited the room.

* * *

**Is Lilly going to cause some trouble on her way out? ... Will there be more drama between Peter and Susan? ... And will Caspian keep trying to win Susan's heart? Keep reading, because there is lots of drama to come...**


	7. Disturbances in the stables

The day had passed quickly and finally late that afternoon, the weather was starting to clear up. Caspian was hoping that somewhere throughout the day he would've bumped into Susan, but they never crossed paths. When he questioned Trixan for the whereabouts of Susan, he was told that she hadn't been seen for a couple of hours. So he decided to go down and check the stables just to make sure that Peter hadn't saddled up his horse and taken off with her.

When he rounded the corner, Caspian noticed that the main door to the stables was slightly ajar. As he walked closer, unusual sounds could be heard coming from inside. He poked his head around the door and squinted as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. All the horses seemed fine as they rested in their pens, but there was definitely movement coming from down the back near a giant haystack. After hearing a series of moans from both a female and male, Caspian stepped back way too fast and lost his footing. He fell to the ground and landed hard on his backside. The feminine voice inside the stables suddenly cried out "Oh, _Peter_! You're _amazing_!"

Caspian's stomach immediately started to churn up, and his heart felt as if it was tightening in his chest. When he stood up his whole body felt nauseous, so he leant on a nearby tree for support. Feeling both angry and disgusted, Caspian punched the tree in frustration before storming off. _How could she_? He thought to himself. After the way Peter treats her, how _could _she? Caspian didn't get too far before his stomach couldn't handle it any more and forced him to vomit. Rushing back into the castle, he ran up the staircase and rounded the corner so fast, that he accidentally bumped into someone. "Sorry" He muttered, without stopping to see who he had bumped into. Caspian continued down the corridor towards his bed chambers, unaware that someone was following him. He left the door wide open as he turned the basin tap on full blast and bent down to wash his face.

"Caspian, are you alright?" A familiar sounding voice called out from the doorway.

He froze on the spot, with his hands cupped over his face. Someone quietly came up beside him and turned the taps off.

"What happened? You look terrible!" That familiar voice spoke once more.

Caspian lowered his hands and opened his eyes to find a very concerned Susan looking up at him.

"Susan?" He breathed her name heavily as if he couldn't believe it was actually her standing before him.

She grabbed a white towel from a nearby towel rack and handed it to him. "Are you alright?" She asked him again, this time sounding more worried.

Caspian seemed to ignore her question, consumed in his own thoughts. "Was that you I just bumped into?" His dark eyes stared straight into hers.

"Yes, but don't worry about that. Why are you -"

"But… weren't you with Peter?" He abruptly interrupted.

Susan's expression changed from being concerned, to just plain confused. "What? No, I haven't seen him for ages. Caspian, what's going on?"

"So, if you've been up here all along… then who's down there?" He spoke slowly, running both his hands through his hair as his mind raced a hundred miles and hour.

Susan looked up at him and frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Come with me!" Caspian demanded grasping her hand tightly, he lead her out into the corridor and down towards the stairs. Susan tried to wriggle her hand free but his grip was too strong.

"Caspian, tell me what's going on right now! Where are you taking me?" She asked, starting to get a little worried. He didn't answer, and continued to guide her down the stairs until they reached the front door.

"Let go of me!" She demanded. Reaching out with her free hand, she tried to pry his hand off hers. He came to a complete stop all of a sudden, and Susan crashed right into the back of him. She instantly shoved him forward. "What the _hell_ is your problem?"

Caspian sighed and rubbed his forehead, trying to remain calm. "Look there's something you need to see, alright"

Susan crinkled her face in a confused manner. "It's getting late Caspian. I just want to go back to my room, ok"

"Please Susan, it can't wait any longer" Caspian pleaded, taking a quick glance towards the stables.

Susan slowly backed up until she felt the cold stone of the castle wall against her back. "You're starting to freak me out… What do you want from me?"

Caspian felt terrible, realising that she was getting the wrong idea about him. "Susan, its Peter. I saw him in the stables, and he wasn't alone!"

"Oh, I see. He's getting a little too friendly with the horses is he?" Susan joked, noticing that Caspian didn't find it the least bit funny. "Look Caspian, I don't know what you're on about, but it's really cold out here…" she said as she turned around, ready to walk back inside the castle.

Caspian stopped her in her tracks, and gently spun her around to face him. "Peter's not the man you think he is. He's fooling around with another girl!" He blurted out, bracing himself for her reaction.

"_What_!" She immediately shrieked a little too loud.

Caspian took hold of one of her hands to comfort her, but she shook it off. She started to panic and asked a million questions at once. "_Who is she_? _How long have they been there_? _Are they still there_? _Should I go down there_? _What do I do_?" She wailed, pacing swiftly back and forth.

Seeing her distressed like this, worried Caspian yet angered him at the same time. How _dare_ Peter do this to her!

"Sssh. Just try to remain calm" He comforted her by taking hold of her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "If you want, I will go down there with you and confront him… Or would you like to go on your own?"

She searched his face for a minute, thinking what to do. "Would you come with me?" She whispered, starting to shake a little.

"Of course" He replied, taking hold of her hand and leading her down the path, towards the stables.

When they slowly approached the door, it was still slightly ajar, and they could hear the sound of playful giggles. Susan let go of Caspian's hand and opened the door wide open. Sure enough, Peter was rolling around under a blanket with some blonde haired girl.

"Peter?" Susan questioned, her voice came out just above a whisper.

He and the blonde haired girl immediately stopped fooling around and turned to look in her direction. Peter's face was covered in guilt and complete shock, but the blonde haired girl just laughed like she thought the situation was hilarious. Caspian immediately recognised the girl as being Lilly, Ramandu's daughter.

"Peter, how could you do this to me?" Susan cried out, abruptly spinning around and bursting out in tears. She brushed past Caspian and ran as fast as she could towards the castle.

Peter stood up and covered his lower region with his shirt. He called out her name and tired to run after her, but came face to face with Caspian's fist. Peter stumbled backwards and grabbed his nose as bright red blood dripped down his face.

"How _dare_ you do this to Susan!" Caspian growled deeply, clenching his fists as tight as he could. "Have you got no respect for women?"

Peter scoffed and spat blood onto the ground. "Hey, it's not my fault she's too _frigid_ to have some fun!"

Caspian yelled out in complete rage and punched Peter as hard as he could. The High King fell to the ground, unconscious. Caspian could here the sound of his Telmarine guards rushing into the stables behind him. He then glanced up at Lilly who was standing there, staring at Peter and covering herself with the blanket.

Lilly suddenly averted her gaze onto Caspian and smirked while eying him up and down. "It's not too late for us, you know"

Caspian was utterly repulsed by the behavior of this woman. "You make me _sick_!" He replied, before turning to his guards. "Send the High King back to Cair Paravel… And send Ramandu's disgraceful daughter, back to wherever she came from!"

After giving orders, Caspian left the stables in desperation to go and find Susan...


	8. Let me comfort you

* * *

Susan could be heard crying from out in the corridor. A small group of people were now gathered around outside her door, wondering what exactly had happened that has made her so upset.

"Make way please" Caspian said, excusing himself as he brushed through the crowd.

"What happened? Why is she so upset?" Trumpkin asked, standing closest to the door.

"Not now, Trumpkin" Caspian replied, as he reached up to knock.

Trumpkin stepped in front of him and intervened by grabbing his arm. "Not right now, your majesty. It's alright; Trixan is in there with her"

* * *

Inside the bedroom, Trixan was sitting on the bed right by Susan's side, trying to comfort her. She handed her another tissue and offered her a glass of water.

"I can't believe this is happening…" Susan managed to speak in between sobs. "I thought I was supposed to be with Peter"

"Sometimes people turn out to be different than we expect. Peter obviously has commitment and loyalty issues"

"Trixan I appreciate you trying to help, but you really don't understand…" Susan heaved a loud sigh and pushed her hair away from her face. "There's something I have kept secret from Peter. I never had the guts to tell him…"

Trixan looked over and noticed that Susan looked rather serious. "What is it dear?"

"It's to do with Aslan… You see, a few months ago when I was out for a walk in the woods, Aslan approached me and told me news of a prophecy. To tell you the truth, I was very surprised to see him. I mean, why would the great Aslan want to talk to me?" Susan paused, looking down at her hands for a moment. "Anyway, he told me that I was needed… The kingdom needed me. And that he had foreseen me standing beside the King"

Trixan listened rather intently and thought for a moment before speaking up. "So Aslan basically told you to go to Cair Paravel and spend the rest of your life with High King Peter?"

"Well, he didn't exactly put it like that… Unfortunately he disappeared before I could ask any more questions"

Trixan raised an eyebrow and was about to say something when Susan added "But I knew that's what he meant, because a day later I had bumped into Peter…"

"And you two got along famously eh?" Trixan asked rather sarcastically.

"Well, we had our problems… But I thought that we were meant to be together"

"Susan, have you ever thought that maybe High King Peter wasn't the King Aslan had foreseen you with"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand…"

"There's a Prince who's soon to be crowned King, waiting for you just outside that door"

Susan stared blankly at Trixan before realising that she was being deadly serious.

"Caspian?" Susan asked incredulously.

"Why not? Aslan said he saw you with _a_ King of Narnia; he didn't say anything about it actually being Peter"

A short laugh escaped Susan's lips as she wiped a lonely tear drop from her cheek. "Caspian has more important things on his mind, what with his coronation next week and all… He's not interested in me"

"Somehow I don't think that's entirely true" Trixan said with a small smirk upon her face.

Susan scoffed and blushed at the same time, letting her hair fall over her face to hide her embarrassment.

"I'm being _serious_!" Trixan said as she elbowed Susan, causing her to laugh. "You've _definitely_ attracted his attention, girl"

"I think you're imagining things that aren't there" Susan said, refusing to believe her.

"Well, I think you should let him in and see for yourself how much he seems to care about you"

"Do you think he's waiting out there right now?" Susan asked, suddenly feeling a little shy.

"I'm certain he is. Do you want me to let him in?"

"Yeah… Ok" She hesitated a little, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

* * *

It seemed like they had been talking in there for hours, and Caspian was starting to grow slightly impatient. He had long cleared the corridor, ordering everyone to leave and had sunk down to the ground and rested against the wall which was directly opposite her room. One knee was bent with an arm propped up against it, holding his head. Finally the door before him opened and Trixan stepped out with a gentle smile upon her face.

"She wants to see you"

"Really?" was all that Caspian could think of saying.

Trixan nodded and stepped aside, letting the Prince enter the room. His eyes immediately made contact with Susan's and he scanned her face, trying to read what she was thinking.

"Susan-"

"Caspian"

They both said each others name in unison, causing an awkward laugh to escape from both of them.

"Are you alright?" He asked, slowly walking over to where she sat under the covers of her bed.

Susan stared back at him and studied his facial features. Her bedside lamp was the only source of light, creating a soft golden glow which made Caspian appear even more handsome than she'd ever seen him. She patted her hand on the space in front of her crossed legs, motioning for him to take a seat. He willingly accepted her offer and sat down; suddenly noticing scattered tissues had been thrown on the floor.

"_That_ bad huh?" He winced before watching her tug on the blanket, pulling it up to her shoulders for warmth.

"Not as bad as you'd think…" She uttered softly, raising her eyes to meet his.

Being this close to her, Caspian could tell she had been crying heavily as her bright blue eyes looked puffy and watery.

"Don't worry, he'll be feeling rather sore for a while" Caspian informed her, trying to make her feel better.

"You punched him?" Susan asked in a hopeful tone.

"Yep, I knocked him out cold!"

She laughed and replied "Excellent! Hopefully he'll develop a lovely black eye to go with that black _heart_ of his"

Caspian laughed at her comment before noticing her eyes glistening from tears she was strongly holding back. He shuffled a little closer and took a soggy tissue from her hand and offered her a fresh one. Caspian's thigh had brushed against her knee in the process, and even though she was under the blankets, he still felt a bolt of electricity run through his entire body. He carefully reached out and brushed some tear stained strands of hair from her cheek and tucked them behind her ear.

"Susan, he never… hurt you _physically_, did he?"

Susan looked up at him wide eyed from shock. "_No_! Good heavens, no. I never let him go _that_ far!" She insisted, while feeling a little embarrassed about the topic.

Caspian seemed to ease up and he sighed in relief. Susan noticed, and decided to express her feelings on the subject even further.

"I didn't love him, Caspian. We had only been together for a month and a half… Down at the stables, it was the initial shock which got to me. But then it dawned on me how stupid and blind I had been all along…"

"It's not your fault at all, Susan. He betrayed your trust and went behind you're back. You're better off without him"

"You're right. He was the wrong King..." She said in almost a whisper.

Caspian looked longingly, deep into her eyes. His thoughts urged him to question her choice of words, but the thoughts disappeared when all of a sudden Susan leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. He instinctively wrapped his arms protectively around her and gently placed his cheek on top of her head, feeling her soft hair against his skin. The feeling of her warm body against his own was making Caspian loose his mind. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, and right now he had her in his arms!

"Thank you, Caspian" Her sweet voice caught his attention, sounding muffled against his shirt. "I'm feeling a lot better"

"You're more than welcome" He replied with a smile. "You've got nothing to worry about anymore"

"How can you be so sure about that?" Susan asked, as she moved her head back so she could see his face.

"Because I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you!" He replied, staring down at her innocent looking face.

She smiled beautifully and rested her head once more against his chest. They stayed that way for ages, neither of them saying a word.


	9. Adventuring outside

* * *

When Susan slowly opened her eyes, it was now morning and she could feel the sun rays shining through the window onto her face. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. Hold on… what happened to Caspian? _Oh my gosh_! Susan sat up as fast as she could and scanned the bed, but to her own embarrassment, he wasn't there. She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. What was I thinking? She thought to herself. As if he would have actually stayed the night with me… He was too much of a gentleman for such improper behavior. Yet part of her wished that she could have woken to the beautiful sight of him.

Suddenly something out the corner of her eye caught her attention. There on the pillow beside her, lay a white envelope which had her name written elegantly on the front. Curiously, she reached over and carefully opened it. Is this from Caspian? She thought as her stomach flipped with excitement. Unfolding a single piece of paper, she let her eyes roam over the words before her.

_**Good morning, Susan. I hope you slept well. Please meet me in the main foyer ASAP.**_

She blinked a few times, re-reading the simple words. What on earth is he up to? She thought as she quickly jumped out of bed and frantically searched through the wardrobe. Deciding on light pink coloured dress with short sleeves, she quickly got changed and checked herself in the mirror. The dress was fitted nicely down to her waist, and then slightly flared out. She slipped on a pair of flat white shoes and nervously headed down to the foyer. Once she got there, she noticed the room was completely empty. Caspian was nowhere to be found. Just as she was about to wander off, Trumpkin approached her from behind, slightly startling her.

"I've been told to give you this" He grumbled in a low voice, holding out a white envelope for her to take.

"Another one? Trumpkin, what's going on?"

"Don't ask me, I'm just the messenger…" But a small lopsided grin started to appear on his face.

Susan eyed the little man suspiciously before opening the second envelope and pulling out another piece of paper.

_**I'm the only Oak tree in the garden, come and find me**_

"So where is this Oak tree?" She immediately asked.

Trumpkin made his way over to the front door and opened it, motioning for her to come closer. "Follow that path until you come across a huge bird bath made of stone. Turn left at the long green hedge and look east... You'll see it. It's the tallest tree out there"

After a moment of hesitation, Susan thanked him and stepped outside. This is crazy. She thought as she followed Trumpkin's directions. I'm definitely going to want an explanation for all of this. She finally reached the huge Oak tree and looked aimlessly around feeling quite confused. A short laugh escaped her mouth as she found a third envelope pinned to the tree trunk. Not knowing what to expect, she unfolded the paper and read two words out loud.

_**Look up**_

Her head instantly tilted up, and to say she was surprised was definitely an understatement. Caspian was casually sitting up on one of the thick branches, smirking down at her.

"Took you long enough, I was starting to get a little bored up there" He teased as he climbed down to the ground.

Susan couldn't help but laugh at the whole situation. "Aren't you a little old to be playing games like this?" She asked as she waved all three envelopes in front of his face.

Caspian simply shrugged his shoulders and grinned from ear to ear. "Well, you're the one who went along with it"

Susan rolled her eyes and playfully hit his chest with the handful of paper. "So is there a meaning to all of this, or is the Prince of Narnia just _loosing_ his mind?"

"Why of course there is a reason behind my actions…" He said as he casually walked passed her, his eyes never leaving hers. "Now if you'd be so kind as to follow me"

She turned around to face him, giving him a confused look. "Where are we going? It's a little early isn't it? I haven't had any breakfast yet"

Caspian chuckled in amusement. "Stop with all the questions. You wouldn't want me to ruin the surprise now, would you?"

"Ooh a surprise? I love surprises!" She beamed in delight as she ran up beside him.

They left the garden and made their way down a grassy slope until they reached a cliff face.

"Um, where to now?" Susan asked, placing both her hands on her hips.

"Over here!" He called out, pointing to a hidden set of steps made out of rocks.

A thick forest of trees surrounded them, making it impossible to tell where the trail was leading.

"You know, I'm not properly dressed for this sort of thing… You could have told me we were going hiking" Susan complained, following close behind Caspian as they declined down the steps, brushing past leafy ferns.

He stopped for a second, turned his head back to look at her and smiled innocently. "What are you talking about? I think you've dressed just fine"

Susan groaned and placed both hands on his shoulders to turn him back around. Partially because she didn't want him to see her cheeks turn the same colour as her dress.

A few minutes had passed and they were now chatting away, pointing at different species of birds and laughing at some of their random chirping sounds. Suddenly they came to a halt, as a large fallen tree was blocking the path.

"Well this is new" Caspian stated, taking in the obstacle before him. "It must have been knocked down during the storm"

Susan looked up and studied the massive horizontal tree trunk. It was a good half metre taller than Caspian!

"Awe, that's a shame. I really wanted to know where this path led to"

"And you'll still get the chance to find out, come on!" He said as he approached the fallen tree and positioned his boot into a groove.

Susan watched on in amazement as he lifted himself up with complete ease. Caspian stood up and looked down at her worried facial expression.

"_I can't do that_!" Her voice raised high as she spoke.

"Yes you can, I'll help you" He said kneeling down on top of the tree trunk.

Susan glanced down at her dress and sighed in annoyance. "Remind me why I'm doing this?"

"Susan please, it will be worth it. I promise"

She looked up at him and noticed that he had an arm waiting for her to grab. Moving closer to where he was, she outstretched her hand and placed it in his much larger one. His skin felt so soft and warm. Clearing her mind and focusing on the task before her, she placed her foot where he had and let him lift her up.

"Careful, I got you" He assured, making sure she had her balance before taking his hands off her.

"Thank you" She whispered, brushing down her dress.

"Don't thank me yet, we're only half way"

Susan looked down and muttered something incoherent beneath her breath. Before she knew it, Caspian had already bent down and jumped off, landing firmly on both feet. It dawned on her that he was now at a much lower level, and could probably see up her dress. Before Caspian managed to turn around, she quickly sat down on the tree and placed the skirt of her dress between her legs. Phew that was close; she thought as he turned around and looked up at her.

"I hope you're not planning on sitting up there all day" He smirked.

Susan pouted her lips and glared down at him. Geez he looked really good from up here.

"Well how do you suppose I get down? I'm not jumping, I'll break a leg"

Caspian stepped closer to her and raised both of his arms up. "Susan, don't worry. You won't break a leg because I'm going to catch you. Trust me"

She searched his face before looking at each of his masculine hands. "Alright, I trust you. I'll count to three ok?"

"Ok" He nodded.

Susan took a deep breath in and then exhaled it back out. "One, two... I _can't _do this!"

Caspian tried not to laugh as he watched her panic from down on the ground. "Come on, you _can_ do this. Slowly inch yourself forward and slide into my arms"

Oh she really did like the sound of that! Trying to remain calm, she inched her way forward and braced herself.

"Ok, I'm ready now… One -" Susan screamed as she accidently slipped off too early, feeling her body drop. She didn't fall far before Caspian secured his arms around her waist and set her safely on the ground.

He pulled her body against his and breathed into her hair. "I thought you were going on _three_?"

Her heart was racing a million miles per hour, but she wasn't sure if it was the fall, or that fact that she was pressed firmly up against this handsome Prince.

"Yeah, I thought I would surprise you and test how good your reflexes are"

Caspian softly laughed at her response and held her back a little so he could see her face.

"Are you alright though?"

She looked up into his dark mesmerizing eyes and smiled. "I'm fine, thank you"

Caspian had to restrain himself from kissing her right there and then… As much as he wanted too, he knew she was still feeling vulnerable from breaking up with Peter.

He cleared his throat, slowly let go of her waist and gently took hold of her hand instead. "Let's keep walking. It's not much further now…"

**

* * *

****I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I had fun writing it!! Hehehe. Stay tuned, there is much more Caspian / Susan fluff to come!!**


	10. Surprise!

* * *

"Caspian, are we almost there? This trail seems like it goes on _forever_" Susan whined as she trudged along, feeling rather exhausted from all the walking.

Caspian, who was leaning against a rock while waiting patiently for her to catch up, grinned and offered a suggestion. "I could carry you if you like"

She scoffed at the thought of him carrying her, and awkwardly laughed as she passed by him. "No thanks. I'm not a complete invalid… yet"

"Suit yourself. I was just offering" He said as he caught up to her, still grinning.

They both walked along the path in silence for a while, until Susan's stomach growled loudly from skipping breakfast.

"Sounds like someone's hungry" Caspian chuckled, glancing down at her.

"I blame _you_ for that. You're to one who deprived me of breakfast, remember?"

"No, that's not true at all…" He replied, seeming occupied as he scanned the path ahead. "It's just going to be a late breakfast" Suddenly he moved forward so that he was now in front of Susan and asked her to stop for a moment. "Cover your eyes"

Susan stared up at him dubiously. "Why, what for?"

"Please, just cover them up… I want this to be a surprise"

She rolled her eyes and sighed before doing as he requested. He instantly placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her along the path.

"Don't peek, ok?"

"I'm not!" She protested. "But you better not let me bump into something, or trip over a tree root…"

Caspian let out a mischievous laugh. "Come on, Susan. Do you honestly think I would let something like that happen?"

"I'm just warning you..."

Finally they arrived at their destination and Caspian's hands left her shoulders. She instantly missed his contact and quietly sighed.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now"

Susan lowered her hands and slowly opened up her eyes. She gasped in delight as she looked out at the large lake before her. The sun was reflecting light from the water's surface making it shine like diamonds, and grassy green mountains could be seen far off in the distance. It was a nice secluded area, surround by trees and different coloured flowers.

"Oh Caspian, this is truly beautiful!"

"I thought you might like it…" He smiled as he looked down, seeing her stunned reaction.

All of a sudden Susan snapped out of her trance, flicked her white shoes off and ran down across the soft golden sand and into the refreshing cool water. Caspian laughed as he watched her twirl around with her arms wide open, looking like she was as free as a bird. He loved seeing her happy like this, it made her all the more beautiful. Before he knew it, Susan had run back up across the sand and was now standing in front of him, breathing in and out while laughing from excitement.

"You were so right… It was totally worth the trek down here!"

Caspian couldn't help but laugh once again. "It wasn't _that _strenuous. I used to come down here quite often when I was younger… Can't believe I had almost forgotten about it"

"How could you forget a place like this?" She asked, turning around to gaze out at the scenery.

"Well, not only did I grow… but my responsibilities did too. Now that I'm becoming a King, I don't always have time to do the things I want these days"

"Yet here we are!" Susan teased as she slowly walked around him, stopping only to whisper in his ear. "I hope you don't get in trouble for leaving your duties"

Caspian could feel her warm breath against his ear and closed his eyes for a moment, taking in her close proximity. "I won't get in trouble if no one finds out…"

She quietly scoffed and moved by his side, keeping her eyes on the lake. "Yeah, I don't think anyone will notice that their future King is missing… It's not like you're important or anything"

"Hey! You better watch what you're saying young lady" Caspian playfully waved a finger in front of her face.

"Or else what?" She challenged, watching as a sneaky grin appeared on his face.

"Or else… I'll throw you into the lake" He said, turning to face her while trying his best to sound serious.

"You wouldn't!"

"I would!"

Susan gave a confidant laugh and shook her head. "No, you wouldn't. You're too much of a gentleman to do such a thing to an innocent girl like me"

The moment she had finished the sentence, Caspian had scooped her up in his arms and headed down to the water. "Don't underestimate me, Susan!" He laughed mischievously.

"_Caspian_!" She squealed while trying her best to wriggle out of his arms. But there was no way of getting out of this one. "_What are you doing? Please don't' do this! Noooooooo_!" She gave one final scream, expecting for him to throw her into the cold water… But he didn't. He just held onto her and laughed hard.

Once Susan's heart beat had calmed down a little, she rolled her eyes and gave him a pout. "That was really mean"

Caspian's laughter faded as he realized how close their faces were. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't resist…"

They stared into one another's eyes for what seemed like eternity. Caspian slowly moved his face closer and scanned her facial features, gazing from her delicate pink lips, to her bright blue eyes. Susan's heart rate increased again but this time for a whole different reason. Is he going to kiss me? She thought as she felt herself becoming lost in his dark brown mesmerizing eyes. Just as he seemed to be lowering his lips to meet hers, Susan's stomach decided to growl again really loud, and totally ruined the moment. Instead of kissing her, Caspian simply smiled before carefully placing her back down on the ground.

Susan mentally kicked herself as she focused her attention on picking up her shoes and straightening out her pink dress. She peered up at him and noticed that he looked rather embarrassed as he nervously ran a hand through his hair.

"Please forgive me…"

"Don't. There's no need to apologize" She replied, trying her best to give him a happy and confident smile.

He eased up a little and returned the smile. "So, how about we finally get something to eat?"

"That sounds great… But where are we going to get food around here?" She asked, watching him as he turned to head up to the tree line.

"Follow me. I know just the place!"

She followed close behind him, staring at his back. I can't believe that he was actually going to kiss me! She thought to herself. Would it have been appropriate? I mean, Caspian's a really nice guy but kissing him might have ruined our friendship…

"Hellooooo… Susan? Are you still with me? "

She instantly snapped out of her daydream and saw Caspian waving a hand in front of her face.

"Hmm? Sorry, what were you saying?"

A smirk played at Caspian's lips as he held out a bunch of peaches. "Breakfast is now served!"

Susan's face lit up when she saw the fresh fruit, and was about to ask where he had gotten them from, when she looked around and noticed that they were surrounded by peach trees.

"Wow, this is really convenient"

"Yeah, these trees have been here for as long as I can remember" He said, picking another one from a nearby branch.

They carried the fruit back down to the sand and chatted away as they ate breakfast. Caspian noticed Susan staring longingly out at the lake and thought of an idea.

"Would you like to go out there?" Caspian asked, motioning towards the water.

"You mean for a swim? I don't know… won't it be a little _cold_?"

He smiled down at her, almost looking as if he was going to burst out laughing. "Yes, it may be a little cold. That's why I was wondering if you would like to go out on the lake… in a boat"

Susan's eyes widened. "A _boat_? Wow! Yeah, that sounds wonderful… But, um… where exactly is this boat of yours?"

"Ah! Wait right here" And with that, Caspian started running off behind some nearby bushes. Before long, he emerged from behind the bushes, pushing a small row boat

"I know it's not much…" He said while taking in Susan's worried facial features.

"Oh no, it's great!" She replied, walking over to help him push. "As long as it stays afloat that is"

Caspian laughed, before insisting that it should be fine.

"Ladies first" He smiled as he offered her his hand.

"Why thank you, your majesty" She giggled, taking hold of his hand as she stepped into the boat.

Caspian waited until she was seated before he pushed the small row boat off the sand bar. As he jumped into it, he accidently flicked some water on Susan.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, brushing the droplets from her dress.

"Sorry" He replied, taking a seat opposite her.

She reached her hand into the cool water and playfully flicked some back at him. "You should be. I don't want to ruin this dress"

Caspian smiled and began rowing. Susan looked over the side of the boat and scanned the crystal clear water. Many beautiful multi coloured fish swam past. After a moment of silence, she sat back up and watched Caspian spear the oars through the water with ease.

"So, what's going to happen with me?" She asked quietly, meaning where was she going to live now that she had split up with Peter.

But Caspian didn't quite understand what she was talking about so he decided to question her. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I can't very well go back to Cair Paravel… and I can't stay here"

There was a moment of silence as Caspian stared directly into Susan's eyes. "And why can't you stay here?"

Susan noticed that he seemed a little hurt and disappointed. "Caspian, I can't. I mean, you're going to become King soon and I don't want to be in the way -"

"You wouldn't be in the way. Susan, I'm more than happy for you to stay here in my castle… Besides, I was starting to get used to having you around"

Susan blushed and nervously fiddled with her fingers. Suddenly, she heard a strange noise coming from nearby… in the boat.

"Did you hear that?" She asked, glancing around to see if she could see what had made the sound.

"Hear what?" Caspian asked, continuing to row.

Susan held up a hand, motioning for him to stop rowing and be quiet. "There it is again! It sounds rather close…" Before she knew it, something had jumped up onto her shoulder. She screamed a little from shock and instantly demanded. "_What is it_?"

"Don't panic, it's just a frog" He reassured her, smiling at her horrified facial expression.

"Oh. Well, could you please get it off me? I don't really want to touch it!" She said, trying to remain calm.

"It's just a frog" Caspian repeated once again while chuckling. He started to reach out to grab the tiny amphibian, but as his hand got close to it, the frog jumped down the front of Susan's dress. She screamed out loud and immediately stood up, frantically trying to shake it out.

"Susan please calm down, you're going to tip the boat over"

Just as Caspian had spoken, Susan lost her footing and fell forward into his lap. She gasped, feeling her cheeks heat up from embarrassment as she was pressed up against his body. Caspian quickly supported her by placing one hand on her back and the other around her waist.

"Are you alright?" He asked, immediately regretting it. The look on her face said it all.

"_No_, I'm not alright! Get it out! Get it out, it's so _slimy_!" She whined, taking hold of his shirt tightly in her grasp.

"Um… well, what do you want me to do?" Caspian asked nervously, glancing awkwardly over her body.

"_Get it out_!" She replied rather desperately.

"You want _me _to get it out?" His eyebrows were raised high and his dark brown eyes were as wide as saucers.

"_Yes_!" She screamed, but then suddenly realized what she was asking him to do. She frantically waved her arms in front of her chest. "I mean, _No_! Good heavens, _no_!"

She then wriggled out of his grip and stood up again, trying to stabilize herself.

"Careful, Susan!" Caspian warned, trying to grab hold of her arms.

The frog fell out of her dress and bounced onto the floor of the boat before making a jump for the water. Susan stepped back too far and suddenly the boat capsized, sending both of them into the chilly water. Caspian was the first to surface. He rubbed his eyes and looked around for Susan. She surfaced not long after him, gasping for air.

"That frog… was _evil_!" She breathed, pushing her hair away from her face.

Caspian just burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh my gosh! That was by far the _funniest_ thing I have ever witnessed"

Susan pouted her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh _really_? I'm sure you'd think differently if it had been you in that situation"

"I'm not scared of frogs, Susan"

"I'm not scared of frogs either! But you should have felt how _slimy_ that thing was!" She breathed heavily, growing tired from treading water as she couldn't quite touch the bottom of the lake.

Caspian noticed her struggling to stay afloat and offered to help her. "You can't stand. Come over here before you drown from exhaustion"

She eyed him suspiciously as she swam over to where he was casually standing. The water level came just up above his shoulders.

"Yeah, my dress is kind of weighing me down here" She coughed as some water went into her mouth.

Showing his lovely heart melting smile, Caspian reached out and scooped her up into his arms. One arm under her knees, the other around her back. Susan moved one of her arms around the back of his neck for extra support.

"I keep finding myself in your arms, don't I?" She teased, laughing while Caspian walked through the water, heading towards the shore.

"Yeah, I should be getting paid for this… It's a full time job!" His eyes briefly roamed over her face before averting back to the shoreline.

Susan thought she saw a glint of desire in his eyes, but she quickly dismissed it and looked away, smiling to herself.


	11. Difficult choices

Caspian trudged through the cold water, carrying Susan until it was shallow enough for her to stand. Susan could suddenly tell by the look on Caspian's face that he was considering throwing her into the water.

She clung on tighter to his damp shirt and pleaded. "Can you carry me all the way? The water is so cold"

Caspian raised both his eyebrows and laughed. "And you think I am immune to it? I'm cold too Susan" Caspian said, trying his hardest not to feel sorry for her.

Susan gently bit on her lower lip and thought for a moment before wrapping both of her arms around Caspian's neck, bringing his face closer to hers. Susan quickly leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Please, Caspian" She innocently whispered.

He slightly blushed and cleared his throat. "Well, since you asked so nicely…"

Susan giggled and rested her head on one of his shoulders.

When they finally reached the sand, Caspian placed her down gently. She then complained about her dress being ruined as she squeezed the water from it. Once she was done, she suddenly looked up to find Caspian staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

He immediately averted his gaze. "It's nothing…"

"You were staring at me" She said in a playful tone.

"No I wasn't…" He lied.

Susan walked back down to the waters edge and splashed water at him. "Yes, you were!"

"Stop that!" Caspian replied, stepping out of reach from her splashing.

He stood there expressionless for a moment, before charging down towards her. Susan screamed and tried to run away from him, but he was too fast and easily caught up. He pinned her up against a tree and stared down at her while breathing heavily.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, before giving a devilish laugh. "I've got you right where I want you!"

Susan's eyes grew wide and she gulped. "What are you doing?"

He stared down at her and smiled. Their bodies were slightly touching one another.

"Something I should have done quite some time ago…"

Before Susan got the chance to ask what exactly that was, Caspian had placed his hands on her cheeks and brought his lips down to kiss her. She was taken back a little at first, but happily returned the kiss. His lips were so soft, and his kiss was much tender than Peter's. She smiled against his lips, wrapped her arms around his body, bringing him closer. After a moment, they slowly parted and opened their eyes.

That's when they heard it. The sound of a sword being unsheathed. Susan looked passed Caspian's shoulder and saw Peter standing a few metres behind them. And he looked angry. "Wow! So now I know what it feels like to see someone you love kissing someone you hate"

"You never loved me!" Susan yelled.

Peter slowly walked closer to the pair while keeping his eyes on Caspian. "Yeah, well sometimes you don't realise what you have until it's gone"

"Stay away from her!" Caspian demanded in a deep threatening tone.

Peter rolled his head back and started laughing. "What are you going to do to stop me? You don't even have a weapon"

Caspian narrowed his eyes and firmly set his jaw. "You can have any woman you want Peter, yet why must you go after one who does not want to be with you?"

"Susan is mine!" Peter yelled, slamming his sword hard into the sand.

"She is _not_ yours, and never will be!" Caspian retorted, taking a few steps towards the angry king.

"You want to fight for her then?" Peter suggested, raising his sword up into defensive position.

Caspian quickly bent down and picked up a reasonably sized log and replied "Gladly"

"_No_!" Susan shouted as she ran up behind Caspian and tried to pry the log from his hands. "Don't do it Caspian, you don't stand a chance"

Caspian ignored her words and gently pushed her out of the way.

Susan freaked out and said the only thing she could think of that would stop this fight from becoming lethal. "I… I want to be with him…" She said out loud, nodding towards Peter.

"_What_?" Caspian said incredulously as if he hadn't heard her correctly.

Peter's laughter filled the air, making Caspian feel like a complete fool.

"What did you say?" He asked Susan, watching as she lowered her head to stare at her feet.

"Let me go with him…" She whispered.

"You can't be serious" Caspian said, taking hold of her shoulders. "You can't go back to _him_!"

"I knew you'd wake up and realise what you lost, darling. Now, come with me" Peter said taking a step closer.

"Shut up!" Caspian yelled.

"Caspian…" Susan started to speak but was cut off.

"Susan, don't do this… I will fight for you! You don't need to do this!" Caspian lowered his voice.

"Susan, come with me" Peter repeated, making his way over to his horse.

She removed Caspian's hands from her shoulders and gave him a long, sad stare.

"Susan…" He whispered, low enough for only her to hear. "I know why you're doing this… but I promise I will come for you. You have my word"

Susan mouthed him a silent 'I know' before getting on the back of Peter's horse.

Peter triumphantly gazed down at Caspian before kicking his horse into a canter.

Caspian cursed under his breath as he watched the only woman he cared about being taken away by his rival.


End file.
